COVID-19 Drives Nearly 1 in 3 Americans to Screen Addiction

Rhea-AI Summary

NortonLifeLock (NASDAQ: NLOK) released a study revealing American consumers' online behavior during the pandemic. Findings indicate that 31% of Americans feel addicted to being online, and over half (53%) report increased screen time. While 66% acknowledge excessive screen time, 20% have not taken precautions against security risks associated with connected devices. The report shows a growing concern for cyber safety, with 87% of consumers saying they would act if their device were hacked. The study underscores the importance of online safety education for children, with 90% believing screen addiction is prevalent among youth.

Positive

• None.

Negative

• 31% of Americans report feeling addicted to being online.
• 66% of Americans recognize they spend too much time on screens.
• 20% of device owners have not taken actions to secure their devices.
• 38% say increased screen time has reduced their physical activity.
• 21% report negative impacts on mental health due to screen time.

NortonLifeLock (NASDAQ: NLOK), a global leader in consumer Cyber Safety, released a new global study examining consumers’ at-home online behaviors. The findings from the U.S. portion of the research show that 1 in 3 Americans (31%) say they have become addicted to being online as a result of the pandemic and many are not taking the steps needed to protect their physical, emotional, and digital well-being.

In the study conducted online by The Harris Poll among more than 1,000 U.S. adults, over half of Americans (53%) say the amount of time they spend in front of a screen outside of school and work purposes has increased significantly during the pandemic. Consumers reported spending an average of 6.3 hours a day in front of screens outside of work or school, and for many, it’s too much. 66% of Americans admit that they spend way too much time looking at screens, with 1 in 4 (26%) saying they have purchased a new smart home or connected device to better cope with the pandemic. This brings the total reported average number of devices owned per household to 6.

While for some Americans, increased screen time has helped them feel connected (43%), nearly 4 in 10 (38%) say it has made them less physically active and 1 in 5 (21%) note it has negatively impacted their mental health.

Americans also understand there are security risks that come from connected devices, with many believing it is very or extremely likely that a computer (56%) or smartphone (49%) will be hacked. Yet, 1 in 5 device owners (20%) have not taken actions to protect themselves and their devices.

“With the pandemic rapidly changing how we use technology, the threats people face online also continue to change and evolve,” said Darren Shou, Head of Technology, NortonLifeLock. “Solutions that you can set and forget, like keeping your software updated, using multifactor authentication and securely backing up your files, are easy first steps everyone should take to live their digital lives safely.”

Norton helps families stay safe online with products like Norton Family, which enables parents to monitor and manage their children’s online activities, and Norton provides education, tools and resources in concert with National PTA and other organizations.

Additional findings from the 2021 Norton Cyber Safety Insights Report: Special Release – Home & Family include:

• Millennials and Gen Z feel the negative impact of increased screen time the most. 1 in 4 U.S. adults ages 18-39 (25%) say that increased screen time has made them feel lonelier than ever before compared to those aged 40 or older (13%). Close to 1 in 4 (23%) say the additional screen time has made them feel bad about their body or hurt their self-esteem.
• Despite being aware of security threats, consumers are more reactive when it comes to their safety. Looking from preventative to reactive, though 1 in 5 device owners (20%) have not taken actions to protect themselves and their devices, if one of their connected devices were hacked, the overwhelming majority (87%) say they would take action, most commonly changing the security settings or passwords (51%).
  • Only around 1 in 3 deny permissions to apps on devices (35%), change the default passwords on devices (33%), regularly update device passwords (30%) or install cybersecurity software to their devices (29%).
• More than 3 in 5 adults (63%) admit to using personal information in their password(s), and only about 2 in 5 consumers who own a Wi-Fi router change their router password more than once a year. Just 39% of consumers who own a Wi-Fi router change their router password more than once a year, with close to 3 in 10 (29%) admitting they have never changed the password or are not sure how often the password is changed.
• Americans think conversations about online safety should start young. With 9 in 10 (90%) believing most children are addicted to screens, more than 4 in 5 Americans (84%) feel it’s absolutely essential or very important for parents to teach their children about cyber safety and the large majority (94%) say these conversations are more important now than ever before.
  • Still, whether these conversations happen or not, more than three-quarters (78%) concede it is difficult for parents to keep children safe when they are online.

These new findings serve as a second addendum to the 2021 Norton Cyber Safety Insights Report (NCSIR) examining the impact of cybercrime, in addition to the 2021 Norton Cyber Safety Insights Report: Special Release – Online Creeping uncovering consumers’ online creeping behaviors. Conducted in partnership with The Harris Poll, the 2021 Norton Cyber Safety Insights Report: Special Release – Home & Family surveyed more than 8,000 adults aged 18+ across eight countries¹ including 1,003 U.S. adults to assess consumers’ at-home online behaviors.

To view the study’s full results and accompanying visual assets, please visit the 2021 Norton Cyber Safety Insights Report: Special Release – Home & Family press kit at: https://www.nortonlifelock.com/us/en/newsroom/press-kits/2021-norton-cyber-safety-insights-report-special-release-home-and-family/.

About the 2021 Norton Cyber Safety Insights Report: Special Release – Home & Family

The U.S. research was conducted online by The Harris Poll on behalf of NortonLifeLock among 1,003 adults aged 18+. The survey was conducted May 20 through June 8, 2021. Data are weighted where necessary by age, gender, race/ethnicity, region, education, marital status, household size, and household income to bring them in line with their actual proportions in the population. No estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

About NortonLifeLock Inc.

NortonLifeLock Inc. (NASDAQ: NLOK) is a global leader in consumer Cyber Safety, protecting and empowering people to live their digital lives safely. We are the consumer’s trusted ally in an increasingly complex and connected world. Learn more about how we’re transforming Cyber Safety at www.NortonLifeLock.com.

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¹ Australia, France, Germany, India, Japan, New Zealand, United Kingdom and United States.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210823005693/en/

FAQ

What did NortonLifeLock's recent study reveal about Americans' online behavior during the pandemic?

The study indicated that 31% of Americans feel addicted to being online, with over half reporting increased screen time.

How many Americans recognize excessive screen time as an issue according to NortonLifeLock?

66% of Americans admit to spending too much time looking at screens.

What percentage of device owners have not taken cybersecurity precautions as per the NortonLifeLock study?

20% of device owners have not taken any actions to protect their devices.

What concerns did the NortonLifeLock report raise about the impact of increased screen time?

The report highlighted that 38% of respondents felt less physically active and 21% experienced negative mental health impacts.

What does NortonLifeLock suggest regarding conversations about online safety?

NortonLifeLock emphasizes that discussions about online safety should start young, with 90% of Americans recognizing children's screen addiction.